Turquoise Water, Winding Tidal Channels, Shark Bay, Western Australia
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A byway for brigands
Most who visit Quintana Roo are seeking the Caribbean beaches of Cancún or Cozumel, or the crystal-clear cenotes of Tulum. Further down the coast and a little ways inland, another watery destination awaits: Lake Bacalar, a long, thin freshwater lake that's one of Mexico's largest. Straight across from the town of Bacalar, a narrow channel connects the main lake to Lake Mariscal, a small lagoon to the east. This waterway is known as the Canal of the Pirates, as it was used by bands of buccaneers who hid out on Mariscal between raids on local Spanish settlements. Fortunately, today the canal is more popular with kayakers and paddleboarders than with plunderers and pillagers, so your booty is safe here.
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